Evaporative air cooler and conditioner



Feb. 28, 1950 J. E. NOGLE EVAPORATIVE AIR COOLER AND CONDITIONER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 3, 1947 lure/liar c/a mes EM Ze No rneys Feb. 28, 1950 J. E. NOGLE EVAPORATIVE AIR COOLER AND CONDITIONER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 3, 1947 6 s 5 a u 5 3 d 3 |l.|Y 4 c w MI 1/ I I r K I o 1 2v I 3 :1: Z 9 8. Z z Z i m I u n r D Z 5 n a C r 2 H 4 .0 "r211, l 4 rila Irl I... R u 1 V 6 7% n n A #9 Z H Z 4 a; u 4 9\.s uu I! I /l// T a I 7 Feb. 28, 1950 J. E. NOGLE 2,498,818

EVAPORATIVE AIR COOLER AND CONDITIONER Filed Oct. 3, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I u uento r JamesZIZVayZe.

W WW Alto may:

Patented Feb. 28, 1950 EVAPORATIVE AIR COOLER AND CONDITIONER James E. Nogle, Phoenix, Arlz., assignor of onehalf to Theodore Lawrence, Phoenix, Aria.

Application October 3, 1947, Serial No. 777,883

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a portable, self-contained evaporative air cooler and conditioner which may be readily moved from place to place and utilized anywhere that a source of electric current can be provided and which is likewise readily adapted for use in vehicles including automobiles and trucks.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an evaporative type air cooler and conditioner having means of extremely simple construction for spraying water over a filter wall through which the air is drawn to maintain said wall constantly in an evenly moistened condition while the apparatus is in operation so that the air passing therethrough will be cooled and humidified thereby.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an evaporative cooler wherein the motor employed in driving the fan or blower thereof will likewise be utilized to operate an extremely simple device employed for elevating and distributing water over the filter wall by means of which the filter wall is completely and uniformly saturated leaving no dry spot through which uncooled, warm air can pass.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of the invention especially adaptable for cooling a room or other enclosures;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, thereof;

Figure 3 is an enlarged substantially central vertical sectional view taken along a plane as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are horizontal sectional views taken substantially along planes as indicated by the line 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 3:

Figure 6 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the invention especially adapted for use in vehicles such as automobiles and trucks;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof taken substantially along a plane as indicatedbythelinell ofl'igure 6;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation of a modified form of the water elevating, and distributing means, and

Figure 9 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the distributing means of Figure 8.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and first with reference to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, the evaporative air cooling apparatus as disclosed in these views and designated generally it includes an outer container or body, designated generall H having a'substantially fiat bottom I: and an upwardly extending cylindrical wall It the upper edge of which is provided with an outturned flange H. The cylindrical wall I3 is provided adjacent its upper edge with a series of circumferentially spaced openings i5 and therebelow has a second series of circumferentially spaced openings it. As the description proceeds it will be readily apparent that the wall of the body ll may be of various shapes, if desired. The cylindrical wall Ii has a filling tube l'l extending downwardly and inwardly therethrough adjacent its bottom I! and which is provided at its upper, outer end with a closure cap it through which the bottom portion of the container i I can be filled with water or other liquid, as indicated at is, preferably approximately to the level as illustrated in Figure 3 and it will be noted that the level of the liquid it may be readily ascertained by removing the cap it and noting the level of the liquid in the filling tube H. H

A small container 20 is disposed within the container Ii and has the flat bottom thereof suitably secured to the bottom i2 and is disposed centrally thereof. The container 20 has an open upper end and an upstanding, preferably cylindrical side wall 2i provided with a series of iongitudinally and circumferentially spaced openlugs 22. The upper edge of the wall 2| terminates preferably below the level of the openings It. An element, designatedgenerally 23 is disposed within the container II and includes a cylindrical wall 24, of-larger diameter than the wall 2i and which is disposed substantially con centrically therearoundandl has; its lower end resting on and secured to'the bottom I! in any suitable manner as by weldin as seen in 25' The wall 24 is provided witha series of 10ngitudinally and circumferentially spaced openings 2?? which preferably align iradiallywith the openingsv 22 and said walls 2 I andll 'combine to form an annular chamber thcrebetween adapted to be filled with a porous material 27, such as excelsior up to a level above the openings" and 28 but below the upper edge 'of theiwall 2i, as clearly seen in Figure 3. The element 23 also includes a frusto-conical portion "forming-a flared extension of the upper edge of the wall 24 and the upper, outer edge of which is secured to-the wall is beneath and adjacent to the'opening it.

The container ll is'provided with a conical, downwardly extending top It which is secured at its upper, outer edge to the cylindrical wall l3 above the openings l3 and which is disposed substantially parallel to the portion 28 to combine therewith to provide an annular upwardly and outwardly flared passage connecting the area surrounded by the wall 24 with the openings I5 and which is designated generally 30.

The conical member 23 is provided with a central bearing 3| forming a journal for a driven shaft 32 of a motor 33 which is supported on the bearing 3|. The motor 33 may be of any suitable construction and preferably constitutes an electric motor which may be connected to any suitable source of electric supply such as an electric outlet by electrical wiring, not shown. A cover plate 34 is detachably secured over the open top of the receptacle II by fastenings 35 which extend therethrough and through the flange l4 and said plate 34 has a central opening 38 normally closed by a plate 31, forming a detachable section of the cover plate 34 and detachably secured thereto by fastenings 33.

The driven shaft 32 of the motor 33 extends downwardly, axially through the cylindrical walls 2| and 24 and is journaled at its lower end in a thrust bearing 33 which is secured to the bottom of the inner container 20. A conventional fan 43 is keyed to the shaft 32 and is disposed within the cylindrical wall 24 and above the cylindrical wall 2|. A spiral tube 4| is disposed around the shaft 32, below the fan 40 and is anchored to said shaft by suitable anchoring means 42, as seen in Figure 4. The lower end of the tube 4| is flared outwardly with respect to the intermediate portion thereof and is disposed substantially concentric to the shaft 32 and has its open end facing in the direction of rotation of the shaft 32,'as indicated by the arrow 43 in Figure 3. The opposite, upper end of the tube 4| extends substantially radially from the shaft 32 and terminates in a down-turned terminal portion 44 which opens into the space between the walls 2| and 24 and above the level of the filter material 21, as best seen in Figure 3.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that if the lower part of the receptacle I3 is filled with water or other liquid, as indicated at l3, that when the motor 33 is actuated to revolve the shaft 32 and fan 40 clockwise, as seen in Figures 4 and 5," that the draft from the fan 40 will draw air through the openings I8 into the receptacle II. This air will be drawn through the apertures 23, through the annular wall of porous material 21 and through the apertures 22 into the container 20 and will be moistened in passing through the porous wall 21, as will hereinafter be described. The air will thereafter be drawn upwardly from said container 20 and expelled by the fan 40 through the upper portion of the passage formed by the cylindrical wall 24, through the passage 33 and outwardly through the openings l3. At the same time, the open lower end 43 of the tube 4| which faces in the direction of rotation of the shaft 32 and tube 4| will have the water I. forced inwardly thereof by its rotation and with sufilcient pressure to cause the water to pass upwardly through the tube 4| and be discharged from the upper, outlet end 44 thereof. As the end 44 turns also with the shaft 42 over the filter material 21, it will equally distribute the water over the upper surface thereof so that said water will seep downwardly therethrough to maintain this porous wall 21 uniformly moistened throughout and so that all of the air passing therethrough will be cooled and humidified thereby.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a slightly modified embodiment of the unit II and which is designated generally 43. The unit 48 includes a cylindrical walled receptacle 41 having a flanged upper end to which a cover plate 48 is detachably secured by fastenings 43. The'receptacle 41 contains a centrally disposed container 30 which is secured to the bottom thereof and which corresponds to the container 20 and also is provided with a cylindrical wall I which extends from substantially the top to bottom thereof. of a larger diameter than the container 50 and which is disposed substantially concentrically therearound and has an outturned flange 32 at its upper end which bears against the cylindrical wall of the container 41 adjacent its upper end and which is also seated against the under side of the cover 44. The cylindrical wall of the container 50 and the cylindrical wall II are provided with apertures 53 and 34, respectively, which preferably align and the annular space between said cylindrical walls is filled with a porous material 55, corresponding to the porous material 21 and to a level above the openings 53 and 34 but below the upper edge of the container 30, as seen in Figure 7. The container or receptacle 41 has a series of circumferentially spaced openings 55 therein, corresponding to the openings I6 and the lower portion of said container 41 is adapted to contain water or other liquid, not shown, and may be filled in the same manner as the container or receptacle The cover 43 constitutes a part of a fan casing 56 which is located thereabove and which is substantially cylindrical except for the outlet 51 thereof which extends substantially tangentially therefrom. The plate 43 is provided with a large central opening ll forming the inlet to the fan casing from the area of the receptacle 41 defined by the cylindrical wall II.

An electric motor or other suitable power source 39 is mounted on the top of the casing 53 and has a driven shaft 30 extending centrally through the fan casing 58 and the receptacle 41 and, which is journaled at its lower end in the same manner as the shaft 32. A tube 3|, corresponding to the tube 4| is carried by the shaft 40 and for the same purpose. An annular or squirrel type fan 62 is rotatably disposed in the casing 33 and fixed by a key 43 and adjustable collar 34 to the shaft 40.

From the foregoing it will be readily obvious that when the motor 33 is actuated to revolve the shaft 30 in a clockwise direction, as seen from above, that air will be drawn by the fan 62 inwardly through the openings 33 and then through the openings 44 and porous wall 31 and openings 33 to the container 34 from which the air will be drawn upwardly through the opening 30 and expelled centrifugally by the blades of the fan 32 outwardly thereof and through the outlet 51. The tube 6| will function in the same manner as the tube 4| for maintaining the porous wall 51 in a moistened condition. The cooling apparatus 4. is especially adapted for use in motor vehicles and the motor 38 thereof will require only a single electrical connection, not shown, and can be connected under the dash board of an automobile or to the back of the front seat thereof and may be operated while the car is moving or standing still and may be left running while the car is parked to maintain the interior of the car in a cooled condition.

Fi res 8 and 9 illustrate another embodiment of either the shaft 32 and tube 4| or the shaft 88 and tube 8| and which includes a tubular shaft section 65 the upper end of which is adapted to receive and be secured to a fan shaft a portion of which is shown at 98 and the lower end of which is provided with a stub-shaft 61 adapted to be journaled in a thrust bearing, such as the bearing 39. A pipe 68 is secured to and communicates with the tube 85 at one of its ends adjacent the lower end of said tube and has an opposite turned end 59 which opens in the direction of rotation of the tubular shaft 85. The tube 68 is adapted to receive the water through its open end 69 in the same manner that the water is forced inwardly of the end 48 of the tube 4| and the tubular shaft 85 has a pipe or bib 10 connected thereto and communicating therewith adjacent its upper end and which is provided with an outer, down-turned discharge end which is adapted to open above either the filter wall 21 or 51.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the water elevating and distributing means of Figures 8 and 9 could be substituted for the shafts and elevating tubes of either the unit it or the unit 46.

Various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the.invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

An evaporative type cooling apparatus comprising, a receptacle adapted to contain a coolin liquid in the bottom thereof and having a side wall extending around the receptacle, a first wall disposed within the receptacle and extending from the bottom thereof to adjacent its top, said first wall having a flared frusto-conical upper end secured to the side wall at its outer edge and combining with the first wall to separate the inner and top part of the receptacle from the outer part thereof, said side wall having inlet openings communicating with its outer part and discharge openings communicating with its upper part and above the fiared upper end of the first wall, a second wall disposed within the first wall and spaced therefrom and terminating below said flared upper end, a filter material forming a porous wall disposed between said first and second walls, said first and second walls being perforated from beneath and adjacent the upper end of the porous wall to below the liquid level of the receptacle, said receptacle having an inverted cone-shaped top wall disposed above and spaced from said fiared upper end and terminating at its outer edge above the discharge openings, a driven shaft journaled in the receptacle and extending within said second wall, a fan fixed to the shaft within the first wall and above the second wall for drawing air into the outer part of the receptacle through the inlet openings through the perforations of the first and second walls and through the porous wall and forcing'the air outwardly between the flared upper end and said top wall and through said discharge openings, and a conduit carried by the shaft and having a lower inlet end opening into the cooling liquid and facing in the direction of rotation of the shaft into which the liquid is forced by the said rotation, said conduit having an opposite, discharge end opening downwardly into thespace between said first and second walls and above the porous wall for equally distributing the liquid thereover as the driven shaft is revolved for maintaining said porous wall in a uniformly moistened condition. 1

JAMES Er NOGLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of .this patent: 

